We are estimating actual sales by Diamond U.S. (primarily to North American comic stores), using Diamond's published sales indexes and publisher sales data to estimate a sales number for Batman (the anchor title Diamond uses in its calculations), and using that number and the indexes to estimate Diamond's sales on the remaining titles. We can check the accuracy of our numbers by comparing the Batman number that we calculate using multiple data points; our numbers for Batman are within 1/10 of 1% of each other, ensuring a high degree of accuracy. They do not include sales made by Diamond UK, orders on these titles placed after the end of June, or copies purchased by Diamond but held in inventory at the end of June. This information may not be reproduced in any format without also crediting Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc.

Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, IDW Publishing, Dynamite Entertainment, Valiant Entertainment, Avatar, and Aspen Studios distribute 100% of their comic store orders through Diamond. Some other publishers distribute directly to stores or through other distributors and as a result this analysis may underestimate their sales.

Most graphic novel publishers also release their titles through other channels, which make up a majority of graphic novel sales over-all. These quantity estimates do not reflect distribution through those channels."

Most of the titles on this chart are also distributed to Europe by Diamond UK, which can account for significant sales for the publisher, ranging from 3-20% of the U.S. numbers. Sales by Diamond UK are not included in the numbers above.

One other factor to consider is that sales through Diamond and other comic distributors are non-returnable to retailers. That means that there is a considerable unknown percentage of books unsold at the retailer level, probably amounting to 5-20% of sales.

For links to all previous Top 300 Comic and Top 300 Graphic Novel articles (going back to 2001, including preorder analysis through March 2003 and actual order analysis beginning March 2003), see "ICv2 Top 300 Comics and Top 300 GNs Index."